A continuously variable adjustable hinge construction similar to that of the present application is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,591,207 issued on May 27, 1986. With particular reference to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a continuously adjustable hinge is disclosed, such as employed for an automotive vehicle recliner seat back, wherein a toothed sector on one hinge element is retained by a toothed pawl on the other with preliminary freedom of arcuate float in its mounting at least equal to the pitch of one tooth in order to accommodate full tooth engagement for any continuously variable relative position of the sector. A pair of pivotally anchored cam elements engage right-angle related cam surfaces on the pawl at any full tooth engagement position of the sector. Variable engagement by each cam surface accommodates any fully engaged pawl position with a self-locking angle preventing pawl displacement in either angular direction from sector tooth pressure. A laterally positioned pivot for the pawl having a slotted clearance accommodates angular displacement of the pawl of approximately one tooth in either direction from a neutral position.